The Battle of Athens (3 photos) Bashny.Net

Poor people lived McMinn County, Tennessee, in the '40s. The county was poor and agriculture in the 30 crippled the great depression, and then - a drought. In addition, in the 40s, it was clearly shown a new attack - the abuse of power of the local sheriff and his henchmen, and massive violations of the local elections. The sheriff took no one hesitate to bribe the local moonshine producers and holders of various brothels, and closed his eyes to a variety of violations of the electoral legislation, both from Democrats and from Republicans. The main source of money for the sheriff and his assistants was to collect fines, which, of course, led to numerous abuses by the police. they receive a certain amount for each person detained, arrested or planted - the more arrests, more money. popular method was to stop the long-distance bus at night, passing through Athens (the county seat), get sleepy passengers and make him pay the penalty for "being drunk". the penalty is pretty big - $ 16, 5 times a week were 115 arrests - for the tiny town. And continue so until 1946.



Sheriff then was Paul Kantrel, first elected in 1936 and re-elected and then in 1938 and 1940. In 1942 he was elected state senator and sheriff became his deputy - Pat Mansfield won Elections in 1942 and 1944 won the election, according to local residents, both fellow achieved through a variety of frauds. In 1946 Kantrel Mansfield and decided to change. Mansfield is now announced his candidacy for senator and Kantrel - sheriff.

And then he suddenly started having problems. The fact is that at the end of 1945 in the district back from the front of approximately 3,000 veterans of the Second World (or 10% of all residents of the district). Returning home, they learned about how during the war under the leadership of local police taunted the residents of Mansfield District. From the perspective of veterans, political responsibility for the actions of Mansfield was carrying his patron - Cantrell. In addition, returning veterans of all bullying police immediately felt on itself. Police round up bars where drinking soldiers returning home - they were arrested, severely fined (for drinking), and, happened, and beaten.

Then the veterans decided to put their candidate in the elections, an independent candidate who would go to the polls or the Democratic or Republican Party, and on behalf of all veterans. And promised the residents of the district to ensure fair elections.

At one campaign rallies veterans representative gave a fiery speech, "in McMinn County forgotten about those principles that we in arms defending the war. We fought for democracy because we believe in democracy, but not in the form in which it exists in the country now. " Also veterans sent a letter asking to send observers to the elections to the FBI, and the Governor of the Department of Justice, but no reply received. As no replies were received to the complaints of local residents, sent in 1940, 1942 and 1944.

Elections were scheduled for August 1, 1946. In support of the sheriff himself (still valid) Mansfield called 200 armed assistants. "I realized the information that certain aggressive elements are preparing provocations in the day of voting at polling stations. To prevent them, as well as to maintain law and order, I plan to bring to the protection of election day several hundreds of additional military personnel, "said the press. new "guards" were recruited from other districts, and some - from other states.

The first thing they began to catch and beat the veteran observers at the polling station. Around 3 pm, one of them refused to let in the land of the black voter Tom Gillespie. With the words "get out of here nigga, you vote here today is not necessary." Gillespie beat, and when he still tried to go to the station, the deputy shot him. A crowd gathered. Deputy Sheriff under the guise of seized and locked up in a building where the vote took place, observers. The crowd at the entrance becoming more, then the sheriff ordered it to disperse. At the same time, taking advantage of the turmoil, two veterans of the observer, which is held in the area, broke a window and escaped. The deputy took the land in the ring and got the gun, ready to shoot anyone who tries to approach the building. Under the protection of the Sheriff Mansfield took ballot boxes and carried them into the prison building to count.

His weapons were not veterans, so they "borrowed" the keys to the arsenal of the National Guard, where they found three rifles M-1, five pistols .45 caliber rifles and 24 Enfield. Armed with a group of veterans, as well as volunteers from among local young people went to the prison building, intending to deprive the sheriff urns and count ballots honest.



Entrenched in prison Mansfield supporters opened fire first, injuring three veterans. Shooting began. At the sheriff's deputies were mostly pistols, but in prison, and found a Thompson machine. The exchange of fire lasted half an hour and subsided - on both sides began to run out of ammunition. When it got dark, the part of the veterans were three wounded by sheriff's deputies - one seriously wounded.

Governor of the State, impressed events mobilized the National Guard, but the city has not entered the National Guard. Perhaps due to the fact that among the guards dominated veterans explosives are unlikely to want to shoot their colleagues.



August 2 veterans threw dynamite the prison building, and then surrendered to the sheriff's supporters. Candidate Paul Kantrel fled, who met him on the road veteran was about to shoot him, but the gun jammed. The deputy left the night in prison "for their own safety", as veterans returned back into the arms arsenal.

After counting the votes, the candidate declared the winner of the veterans Henry Knox. He won with a fairly large margin. On-wide gathering for city management was elected a board of three persons. Since most of the police fled, they were selected at the same time six people responsible for the maintenance of order (the veterans) in Athens (the county seat) and another 12 people in the nearby town of Etowah (Etowah). In addition, "local resident patrols were formed, under the leadership of many veterans. To their credit it must be noted that no complaints of abuse of authority against them for all time have been filed. " August 4 Mansfield conceded defeat. neither he nor any of his supporters, veterans are not avengers, the only trial and sentence - three years - was a deputy sheriff shot in an elderly black man.